Phobias Flashcards
What is the behavioural explanation for phobias?
The 2-process model
What is the 2-process model?
- The phobia is initiated through classical conditioning
- Phobia is maintained through operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning?
How a phobia is initiated - learning through association
Stimulus produces the same response as another stimulus if they have constantly been presented at the same time
What is operant conditioning?
Learning through the consequences of one’s behaviour
What does operant conditioning do to someone with a phobia?
It maintains the phobia as the person avoids it
What are the 2 sections of operant conditioning?
Reinforcement (overall good)
Punishment (overall bad)
What are the strengths of the 2-process model?
Doesn’t label people as mentally ill
King (1998) looked at case studies of children getting phobias after a traumatic experience, supporting the idea that phobias are initiated through classical conditioning
Why does the 2-process model not label people as mentally ill?
Can be damaging as they are difficult to remove
Model is positive - looks at a phobia as an incorrect response this can be fixed
What did King (1998) find after reviewing the case studies?
Found that children get phobias after a traumatic experience with a phobic object - support classical conditioning
What are the weaknesses of the 2-process model?
People may have phobias without having a negative experience before
Doesn’t take into account the biological factors that can cause phobias
Many people who go through a traumatic experience don’t develop phobias after
What are the behavioural treatments for phobias?
Systemic Desensitisation
Flooding
Who developed systemic desensitisation?
Wolpe (1958)
What is the main idea of Systemic Desensitisation?
Main idea is reciprocal inhibition - impossible to feel 2 opposite emotions at the same time (relaxed and afraid)
What is the main aim of systemic desensitisation?
Counter-conditioning - patient learns to remain calm in the presence of their phobia
What are the 3 stages of systemic desensitisation?
- Make the anxiety hierarchy
- Relaxation training (PMR)
- Gradual exposure
What is the anxiety hierarchy?
Hierarchy of fear created by a patient and doctor which includes situations involving the phobic object that are ranked from least to most fearful
What is relaxation training?
When patients are taught deep muscle relaxation techniques
What is a deep muscle relaxation technique?
Progressive muscular relaxation (PMR)
What are the steps for PMR?
Contract muscles tightly and hold
Sit quietly and comfortably and relax them
Relax muscles from feet to head
What is gradual exposure?
Patients introduced to their phobic object, working up the hierarchy as they feel comfortable
What are the strengths of systemic desensitisation (case studies)?
Jones (1924) used this method to eradicate “Little Peter’s” fear of white rabbit
Klosko et al (1990) assessed therapies for panic disorder treatments and found SD was the most effective
What are the weaknesses of Systemic Desensitisation?
Time consuming - training + gradual exposure
Can’t be used for generalised phobias
May not generalise outside clinical setting
Why is systemic desensitisation time-consuming?
Person with phobia needs to be trained with relaxation techniques
Gradual exposure may take many sessions
Why can’t systemic desensitisation be used for generalised phobias?
No obvious target behaviour - difficult to devise the hierarchy
Why might systemic desensitisation not generalise to public setting?
Person won’t have the therapist supporting them
What is flooding?
Immediate, direct exposure of phobic object to patient but patients learns relaxation techniques beforehand
Why is flooding good?
Patient doesn’t have the option for avoidance behaviour - quickly learns harmlessness and EXTINCTION OCCURS
What are some downsides to flooding?
Can cause psychological damage - fully informed consent is needed
Sessions are longer than SD sessions
What is a strength to flooding?
Wolpe (1969) used this technique to remove a patient’s phobia
Fast and efficient - only need 1 session compared to SD which takes multiple
What are the weaknesses of flooding?
Highly traumatic experience
Symptoms might return of symptom substitution might occur
Why is it bad if flooding is a traumatic experience?
Many patients unwilling to continue the therapy to the end
Time and money might be wasted
Phobia might still be there
Makes it unsuitable for children
What is symptom substitution?
Other abnormal behaviours replaces the removed ones
What was Wolpe’s experiment with flooding (1969)?
Girl forced to drive in car for 4 hours until her hysteria was eradicated
What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?
Panic
Avoidance
Endurance (freeze)
What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?
Fear
Anxiety
What are cognitive characteristics of phobias?
Selective attention - only focusing on the phobic object
Irrational belief - having thought that don’t make logical sense
